


One Step At A Time

by WaxRhapsodic



Category: X-Men (Movies), X-Men - All Media Types, X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014) - Fandom, X-Men: First Class (2011) - Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Angst with a Happy Ending, Doctor/Patient, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Mental Health Issues
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-11
Updated: 2015-09-11
Packaged: 2018-04-20 07:24:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,328
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4778618
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WaxRhapsodic/pseuds/WaxRhapsodic
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Loosely based on the movie Frank. Erik is a young man with severe social anxiety and hides inside a paper mache mask. his parents find him a new therapist Dr. Xavier who has had success in similar cases. There is no overlap of their Doctor/Patient and romantic relationships.</p>
            </blockquote>





	One Step At A Time

**Author's Note:**

> This is a not for profit fanwork I do not own any of the characters herein. Un beta'd all mistakes are my own please point them out as you see them! XOXO!

“The Doctor will see you now Mr. Lehnsherr.”

Max stood slowly and faced the nurse; she smiled warmly and gestured towards to double doors leading to the treatment area.

He moved towards her with a gentle push from his mother who sat anxiously at his side, hands twisting idly in her lap.

“Go on, love we talked about this.” She smiled shakily.

Yes, they had. His parents had reached the end of their rope with him. If he didn’t agree to outpatient treatment, they were going to have him committed to a long term facility with little chance for release.

Just the thought of being confined made him panic, though in all fairness most things did.

“Mr. Lehnsherr?” The nurse prompted once more, causing heat to rush to his face as he quickly, if unsteadily, moved to her side. How long had he been standing here? The other occupants of the waiting room were staring at him with blatant interest. 

They had been since he walked in with his mother; though that was likely due to the giant paper mache head he was wearing than for any other reason. At least they couldn’t see his face. 

No one could. No one knew who they were staring at, laughing at, judging.

The head was his sanctuary, his freedom. Maybe the new doctor would understand. Would convince his parents to let him keep the head, then he could continue being Max.

The nurse gently took his arm and guided him through the double doors, "Right though here, Mr. Lensherr. We are so glad to have you back with us!” She said brightly as they moved through the bland but upscale clinic decorated with soothing neutral colors.

“You're going to love Dr. Xavier; as I told your mother, he gets great results!”

They had arrived at an innocuous door where she knocked softly and ushered him inside once a soft, cultured voice called for him to enter.

For a moment he simply stood in the doorway, stunned by the sight of the man before him.

“Hello Mr. Lehnsherr, I’m Doctor Xavier, but you can call me Charles.” They briefly shook hands before Charles lead him to a small seating area near a window with a picturesque view of the gardens.

“…Yes, I’m Max.”

“Please sit, Mr. Lehnsherr,” said the beautiful man with the beautiful eyes.

“You can,” his voice broke awkwardly and he paused to clear his throat, “You can call me Max.”

“You know I think I’d rather call you Erik or Mr. Lehnsherr if you prefer.” Charles sat comfortably in one of the armchairs as Erik settled on the couch.

Erik shifted uncomfortably, wiping his suddenly sweating palms on the legs of his jeans. “Ummm. No, Why?”

“Why not? On the paper work you submitted, it says your name is Erik.”

“My mother filled that out.”

“I see, did she name you?”

“Yes, after both my grandfathers.”

“So they are Erik and Magnus?”

“Yes, they were, yes.” 

“Were? I’m sorry for your loss.”

“Thank you, you are kind.”

Charles graced him with a wide, sunny smile that briefly stopped his heart. “I try to be kind.”

“You are…good at…it.”

“Thank you. May I let you in on a little secret?”

“Yes?” Erik was confused, wasn’t the session about his secrets and issues? He kept the thought to himself, eager to learn more about Charles.

“I love the name Erik, I’ve never seen it spelled with a K, but it seems to fit, especially with your last name, Lehnsherr.”

Erik was taken aback. Over time people grew accustomed to speaking to Max, it almost seemed like Erik could hide forever in the safety of the head, in the security of Max. But Charles hadn’t spoken to him once, hadn’t acknowledged Max at all. Would he only want to get to know Erik? How could he without going through Max?

He had been silent too long. What had Charles said?

“Yes, it’s German. I’m German, We’re German. Also Jewish.”

Charles tilted his head and quirked his mouth to one side. “I thought I heard an accent, do you speak German, or is it Yiddish that I’m hearing?” 

“It’s both. I also speak French and Spanish.”

“A regular renaissance man! Do you speak them at home?”

“Just German and Yiddish, I learned the others on my own.”

“You must be very intelligent Erik.” 

He stayed silent, watching Charles through Max’s eyes.

“May I ask you something Erik?”

“Sure, go ahead.”

“Why do you wear the head?”

“Max.”

“Yes, why do you wear Max?”

“Do you think it’s weird?”

“That’s not what I meant. I think you seem lovely and I would like to get to know you without Max in the way.”

“But…Max is way better than Erik ever was.”

“Do you think you could allow me to decide that for myself?”

“No, I’m sorry Charles. You’ll like Max better with time.”

“I already like Erik, I can’t imagine liking Max any better.”

“Well, give him time to grow on you.”

Charles laughed brightly, “Does that mean you will agree to keep seeing me?”

Erik blushed bright red under the head, hoping it wouldn’t spread to his exposed neck and upper chest. Hoping Charles wouldn’t pick up on his infatuation.

“Yes, I would like that.”

“I think twice a week to start is a good start, what do you say?”

Erik was surprised by the request.

“I thought you would have set this up with my parents?”

“I want you to know that this is entirely up to you Erik, you are in control of what happens from here on out. If you want to stay an outpatient you can, if you want to stay here full time, that’s another option.” 

“Can I stay as Max?”

Charles hesitated. “Not on an inpatient basis, you could keep him in your room to wear during your private time, but not out on the grounds.”

He tried to imagine living here, in this lavish facility, seeing Charles every day, as Erik, not Max. The edges went out of his world and he felt dizzy and weak.

“…erik…ERIK.”

Charles was kneeling in front of him gazing into his- Max’s eyes with concern. One hand placed on his shoulder, the other his leg.

“Erik are you alright? Breathe with me. Just match your breaths to mine, yes, just like that, good.”

“I can’t…(gasp)… you won’t… You like Max, you think its Erik, but… there is no Erik.”

“Oh of course there is my friend.”

“Your friend?”

“Yes, Erik, I would like it if you considered us friends.”

“Charles?”

“Yes, Erik?”

“I wear it so no one can see me.” Charles moved to sit next to him on the couch, their knees touching lightly.

“Why don’t you want anyone to see you?”

“I don’t like the way their eyes feel on me.”

“Hmmm. But don’t people stare more at Max? I imagine you get a lot of attention.”

“I’m brave, I like people. I like the attention.”

“But only as Max?”

“Erik could never handle it.”

Charles paused to consider that for a moment.

Erik smiled beneath the head when a thought struck.

“Would I help if I told you my facial expressions? My sister likes that.”

“That would be great. Erik! You can tell me what you are thinking and feeling anytime, alright?”

“Alright. Pleased smile.” He gestured towards his face with one elegant hand.

Charles laughed loudly with his head tilted back and Erik felt himself flush again as he took in the sight.

“We are just about out of time today, Erik, but I have something for you if you don’t mind?”

“Curious frown.” He tilted his head.

“It’s a journal. I want you to write down what you feel, how Erik feels and how Max helps you in everyday situations. It can be private, or you can share it with you parents or me, but only if you so choose. We’ll take things one step at a time.”

“Shy grin. Thank you.”

“Thank you, Erik. I’ll see you Thursday.”

“Yes, see you Thursday Charles.”

~~~

“How did it go love?” His mother asked as they made their way back home.

“It was good, I like him.” He replied honestly, absently caressing the smooth binding of the journal Charles had given him.

“So are we going back?”

“Yes Mama, Thursday same time.”

“Good Max. I’m glad.” She looked it too and somewhat relieved. Max always felt bad for the stress he caused her. For the embarrassment she and his father shared. They had never under stood Erik, and now they didn’t understand Max. 

Maybe Charles would understand. Maybe Charles would help Max make it up to his mother. When they got home, to their small house in Queens he ran upstairs to his room, eager to write his first entry in his journal.

~~~

As the months went by, Erik slowly filled his journal with his thoughts and anxieties. The situations that upset him the most ranged from large to small. Leaving the house alone, being approached by strangers, missing his niece’s first birthday party. 

The first two were solved by Max; the last one was caused by him. Max was so confident, able to laugh and joke with strangers, to run to the store when his mother forgot an ingredient she needed. Max made life so much better.

That didn’t explain why he spent the night of Anne’s party crying in his room. His sister and her husband didn’t want him- Max- near the baby. They didn’t understand that he was Max, and he loved his niece. 

Crying so hard he could barely breathe he tried to write in his journal, but couldn’t see. Max had a limited range of vision. But he wanted to write, needed to. The journal helped so much at his sessions when he was often tongue tied by Charles’ well, everything to remember what he wanted to bring up. 

Charles had never read his journal, he just let Max bring up whatever he wanted to discuss, his successes and failures of the week.

This was a failure, and Charles would know. He had been so excited to get to Pennsylvania and give Anne her gift, and see Ruth and John. It had been all he talked about at his Thursday appointment. 

His parents had left without him this morning, taking Anne’s gift and promising to take lots of pictures. 

“Oh love, they miss you too they are just worried that soon Annie will start to remember and… well some of John’s co workers will be there and…” here his mother broke off. “I’m sorry Max.”

“Its fine Mama,” he lied. And so his parents wouldn’t be back until tomorrow night. A weekend in Pennsylvania, weekend without Max, it would be like a vacation for them.

The thought stuck in his head as tears streamed down his face. A vacation from Max. Max who was the reason he was alone, the reason his family was embarrassed of him. The reason he couldn’t see to write in his journal. The reason Charles would see him as a failure. 

Lifting his hands to the sides of his head he tugged gently and finally pulled it off. Gasping for air for the first time in months, he set Max aside and turned to write in his journal. 

He poured his heart out onto the page only stopping when the first light of day crept over his window sill.

Leaving the head off, he fell onto his bed and into a restful sleep.

When he woke it was mid afternoon and something was different. The world was clear, and bright, and loud. Oh right, he was Erik. 

He rose quickly and stumbled to the bathroom to look at his face in the mirror.

It had been years since he last looked at himself, at least three. He was older, but it didn’t show much. He was only 21 and hadn’t felt the sun on his face since he was 17.

He did have chafe lines where the straps to hold Max in place had scraped his skin, his hair was also wild and long, a wavy auburn mane to match his beard.

For a long while he just stood and stared at himself. “Hello Erik.”

His voice sounded odd without the muffled echo of the head.

He repeated himself in German, in French.

His mother made him create a new Max every six months at minimum since he refused to take it off at any time in between.

He drank protein shakes through a long straw for sustenance, pushing it as far back into his mouth as it could go in order to miss his teeth. 

After brushing and flossing again and again he rinsed his mouth and reached for a pair of scissors before hesitating. 

His father used to cut his hair, had taught him to shave. Maybe he would like to again. He had been so disappointed that Max-Erik- hadn’t gone to college like they planned. This could be a start.

Like Charles always said, one step at a time.

~~~

When Jacob and Edie returned that night, Erik was waiting for them in the den, writing out his nerves as he waited for their reaction.

“Oh Erik, Welcome Back.”

~~~

Five years later.

Charles stood in line with Hank, waiting for the show to open; they were at the New York Repertory Theatre production of The Sound of Music. Raven had the starring role as Maria and they were eager to see her opening night.

“It never gets old does it?” Hank asked with a wide smile.

“Never.” Charles agreed with a matching grin as they approached the ticket booth to claim the seats Raven had reserved for them right up front.

The show was amazing, though perhaps Charles was biased as he watched his sister fall into the role as though she was born to it.

Everything went off without a hitch, and by the chorus of Climb Every Mountain there wasn’t a dry eye in the house. Hank led a standing ovation to such enthusiasm that it led to two curtain calls. 

They quickly headed to the stage door; flowers in hand, ready to meet up with Raven, and hopefully be introduced to her dishy co-star who Charles had been guiltily scoping throughout the show.

As they approached the door, someone caught Charles by the arm, “Dr. Xavier?” 

He turned abruptly, with a look of polite curiosity on his face as he looked at the vaguely familiar woman still clutching his arm. Not a patient then, a relative perhaps?

“Yes, hello, dear I believe you’ve caught me at a disadvantage, your name seems to have slipped my mind.” He smiled winningly. 

“Still as charming as ever!" She playfully swatted his arm. I’m Edie Lehnsherr; you helped my son a few years back.”

Suddenly his case with Erik-or Max as he’d preferred came rushing back to him. He had been one of his first clinical cases once he achieved his license and they had worked together for just over a year before he had referred the young man and his family to another therapist, closer to their home.

The cost and time to drive the Westchester twice a week must have been a burden to them, but they had never complained, never missed an appointment, never wanted anything but the best for their son.

He smiled again, “and how is Erik these days?” he asked eager for news of the confused yet charming young man he remembered so well.

She looked confused by his question for a moment before her husband stepped to her side “Dr. Xavier!”

“Yes, hello Mr. Lehnsherr!” Charles had but a brief moment to wonder if they were huge theater fans or knew someone on the cast or crew when all chance for conversation was lost as the stage door swung open and the cast swarmed out to greet their fans for pictures and autographs. 

There at the center of it all stood Raven and her handsome Captain Von Trapp. The various child actors posed around them as reporters for a few local papers and entertainment websites took pictures for the reviews shortly to be published. 

As the crowd began to clear, Von Trapp moved through the crowd easily, stopping near Charles to scoop up a little girl and kiss her on the cheek as he wrapped his arm around a small woman with curly auburn hair and pressed a kiss to her temple.

Charles turned away to hide his disappointment. Of course tall dark and handsome had a wife and 2.5 kids. Story of his life. 

If he couldn’t find a man in musical theater, there was no hope for him. Time to throw in the towel and look into singles adoption. 

“Here he is!” Mrs. Lensherr cried as Von Trapp moved to hug her, still holding the child in his other arm. 

“Erik, you will never guess who came to your show!” She turned and pulled Charles around to greet him.

“Erik?!” Charles knew his mouth was hanging open in shock, but, he was hiding THIS beneath that head?

“Charles?” If anything Erik looked more surprised than Charles felt. They looked at each other appraisingly for a moment before the little girl squirmed to get down and dashed over  
to her grandfather for attention.

 

“Incredulous shock,” Erik gestured to his face with one long fingered hand breaking the appraising silence that had fallen over them as they took one another in. 

Their eyes met and they burst into laughter, drawing the eyes of a few people in the crowd.

They sobered up slightly and stepped away from the main throng to continue their conversation.

“I never saw you without the hair, and the beard, and the sideburns and…”

“Oh right, I didn’t lose that until Dr. McTaggert suggested acting to cope with my anxiety.”

“So now you can be anyone, not just Max.”

“Now I’m Erik, I can be anyone.”

“You were amazing Erik, you brought tears to my eyes during Edelweiss, your voice is beautiful.”

He flushed and looked away before bringing his eyes back to Charles. “Thank you, for everything you know. I… I’ve imagined seeing you again and what I would say.”

It was Charles’ turn to blush as Erik leaned over him to brace one hand on the wall he was leaning against.

“And what did you decide to say?”

“Have dinner with me.”

“As a…”

“Date, yes.”

“You’re confident, aren’t you?”

“You only have yourself to blame.” They shared a soft laugh gazing steadily into each other’s eyes.

“I would love to Erik.” He whispered across the taller mans lips as they leaned in close just as Raven pounced, wrapping her arms around Erik from behind.

“I see you met my big brother Charles!”

Erik took a step back looking surprised again, “This is your Charles?”

“Yes, told you he was cute!” she moved to embrace Charles as well. “I was planning to introduce you myself, but you beat me to it!”

“You were planning to set us up?” Erik smiled.

“Yes, you broke up with Derek months ago and don’t get me started on Charles’ dry spell.” She scoffed.

“That said, you were amazing tonight darling.” Charles kissed her cheek.

“Oh thank you darling.” She grinned stepping back to loop arms with Hank. “Now I believe you gentlemen owe me dinner?”

“Yes of course, give us just a moment.”

She and Hank stepped to the side as Raven tried in vain to guess where they were taking her for dinner.

They exchanged numbers quickly if a bit shyly. “I’ll see you soon Erik?”

“I’ll call you tomorrow.” He promised leaning in to kiss Charles lightly on the cheek.

“I look forward to it.”

Erik headed back to his family with a bounce in his step, as Charles always said, one step at a time.

The Beginning.

**Author's Note:**

> My first X-Men Fic, I hope you like it! Comments are love!!


End file.
